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ANA CORTEZ 

  C.J. FREEMAN

Oracles DIVINAT ION DECK

P U B L I S H E D BY U. S. G A M E S S Y S T E M S, I N C .

© 2012 U.S. Games Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. The illustrations, cover design and contents are protected by copyright. No part of this booklet may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or Website. ISBN-13: 978-1-57281-525-4 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Made in China Published by:

U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC. 179 Ludlow Street Stamford, CT 06902 USA 203-353-8400 • Order Desk 800-544-2637 FAX 203-353-8431 www.usgamesinc.com

The One Eyed Jacks In among the Lords and Ladies That rule this curious pack, There’s a one-eyed pair of brothers Both take the name of Jack. At a glance they seem dissimilar, Like night opposing day Each looks his own direction, Sees the world in his own way. What’s misleading, each lives separate And serves a different Queen But unless they’re viewed together Leaves half a man unseen. — CJF

INTRODUCTION ard reading with Playing Cards may seem like a strange proposition. After all, aren’t playing cards for games? Yet far from haphazard, the construction of the deck alludes to a clearly thought out intention, to a purpose far greater than ordinary gaming. Think about the striking fact that there are 52 cards in a deck as well as 52 weeks in a year. A look through history reveals that the playing deck is actually a perfect replica of a Fixed Lunar Calendar. A calendar provides a layout in which to chart events that have not yet occurred. Thus, it is not so strange to think of the playing cards as an oracle. But to be very clear—this is not a Tarot deck, nor is it derived from Tarot in any way. It is its own unique oracular entity—a divination deck providing a unique method of card reading. While ordinary playing cards may be interpreted in the same manner, Playing Card Oracles feature exquisite artwork designed to help you discover the secret wisdom of the ancient oracles.

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Suits Each suit has its own personality, and represents one of the four essential aspects of our lives. Together the suits bring balance and wholeness to a spread of cards. DIAMONDS Element: Fire Key Concepts: prosperity, creativity, self-­ confidence, transformation, spiritual growth. CLUBS Element: Air Key Concepts: ideas, thinking, dreams, communication, detachment. HEARTS Element: Water Key Concepts: emotions (love, passion, hate, fear, etc.), sympathy, healing, the subconscious.

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SPADES Element: Earth Key Concepts: labor, career, housing, the physical body, discipline, responsibility. The Oracles The explanations that follow give clues as to the interpretation of each card. I say clues because what is given here is necessarily abbreviated. Let the images, the colors, and the total picture of the cards in your layouts inspire your interpretations. The magic is inside of you. Enjoy! A : Ignita The gifts waiting here include the creative ability to will our dreams into reality as well as attract money and resources. A ♣: Ethra The moth represents another world, where dreams, ideas and creative impulses emerge. 7

A ♥: Agana The heart may be a lonely hunter, like this bird of prey, seeking to fulfill its basic needs. But it is also a creature of desire, thirsting for and devouring affection, nesting where it finds love. A ♠: Terra Incognita Death may mean an end to things as we know them, as well as the unearthing of secrets. 2 : The Rivals Rivalry or a clash within our own lives can create the push that brings out our personal best. 2 ♣: The Friends The energy of the Deuce, typically quite intense, is lightened and lifted by the airy, detached nature of the Club suit. 2 ♥: The Lovers Two hearts are bound together in a relationship, tethered by the sweet and bitter cords of emotion.

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2 ♠: The Enemies The Spade Suit, corresponding to the solid element of Earth, provides the most concrete example of opposition within the Twos. 3 : The Necklace Objects of value and brilliance are strung together. People possessing “The Necklace” are messengers of light. 3 ♣: The Wish Thought has influence even beyond what we are willing to admit to ourselves, so be careful what you wish for, it might come true! 3 ♥: The Clutch Three is a difficult number when it comes to matters of the heart. It beckons a choice, or decision. 3 ♠: The Grave The time has come for something to be buried, to take its rightful place in the past. 4 : The South Wind When you see this impish card, plan on the unplanned. The direction of South. 9

4 ♣: The East Wind The old man wind symbolizes slow and weak forces, which generally take a long time to develop. The direction of East. 4 ♥: The West Wind Like the breezes of spring that carry the intoxicating fragrances of tender buds, this wind possesses a gentle persuasion. The direction of West. 4 ♠: The North Wind From cold harsh lands, this wind blows with raw and unsettling power and often involves sexual motivations. The direction of North. 5 : The Peddler’s Ace Be careful in deals or transactions of any kind. 5 ♣: The Wind Cape Ideas, plans, and dreams are blowing in every direction. 5 ♥: Fata Morgana Behold the reflection of a hag in the water and understand that this temptress is not what she 10

seems. Many illusions (fata) will be cast upon the waters of our emotions. 5 ♠: The Circle of Crows Encircled by the haunting crows, the way out from fear and frustration is unclear. 6 : The Tower Ascending the spiral of stairs within The Tower brings a new view, changes in attitudes, and feelings of protection and peace. 6 ♣: The Bridge Less a place than a process, this card represents safe crossing over troubled waters and bridging two otherwise disconnected places. 6 ♥: The Castle This is the fortress of our emotions, the walls that shelter our most intimate and personal lives. This card may represent the home. 6 ♠: The Ruin What once was, is no more. Though time marches on, the past often lingers within us, dictating the present. 11

7 : Sword of Truth The blade of this sword cuts through the fog of false thinking and delusion, allowing the light of truth to shine through. 7 ♣: Sword of Enchantment This card signals the presence of something very special. With the blessings of this Seven, unexplainable events come into being. 7 ♥: Sword of Healing When the Sword of Healing reveals itself, a challenge of love and/or healing is at hand. 7 ♠: Sword of Destruction Destruction can be helpful, even necessary, for a productive life—like cutting off a bad relationship or a nasty habit. When not thoughtfully aimed, however, its power brings senseless destruction, loss, and grief. 8 : The House of Good Fortune This card heralds the presence of good fortune and success. Test your boundaries, but avoid the pitfall of becoming overly ambitious or power hungry. 12

8 ♣: The Scales These scales pertain to balance, as it relates to the mind. Like clouds that hover above, we raise our thoughts to a new level, to see beyond our current reality. 8 ♥: The Garden The garden, often a metaphor for life, grows with labors of love and nurturing relationships, symbolized by the Hearts. 8 ♠: The Field of Stones The unluckiest card in the deck, the dense field of Spades represents numerous obstacles and the fruition of bad seeds. 9 : Gawain Sir Gawain exemplifies courage and dedication to truth and service. This card represents a changing dynamic—cycles of energy and interest. 9 ♣: Galahad Galahad, the legendary knight credited with finding the Holy Grail, is associated with idealistic vision, and the tendency to become disconnected from reality. 13

9 ♥: Gilles de Rais A prominent figure in 15th century France, Gilles de Rais was a man of tremendous stature and nobility. But his decadent behavior grew out of control, wreaking havoc everywhere. 9 ♠: The Throne of Spiders Something is slowly extracting the enthusiasm, aspirations, and joy for living that feed the spirit. Introducing the Court Cards The court figures can be thought of as the actors and actresses who play out the events and circumstances revealed by the pips (cards Ace through Nine.) The pips denote the lessons we must learn; the trials that shape our individual karma. Together the 52 cards work to represent all the diverse phenomena of human life. 10 : Tendra Fire contains a dynamic spirit that is ever hungry. The more it is given, the more it needs. This is the aspect of Fire that illuminates so well the personality of Tendra. 14

10 ♣: Fortuna Fortuna is governed by no one and nothing but the merry little breeze abiding within her. Try to pre­dict her and you may as well try to chart a course for Lady Luck herself. 10 ♥: Allegra As the youngest of the Heart suit family, Allegra embodies a youthful enthusiasm and naiveté in regard to her realm of emotion. 10 ♠: Terrene Many aspects of the natural female are symbolized here, including the wisdom of the body and natural instincts. 11 : Dango This character is bigger than life, constantly walking the line between fantasy and reality, between the possible and impossible. 11 ♣: Lancelot du Loc Lancelot and his remarkable adventures have enduring magnetism. He encompasses both the male and the female, the rational and the intuitive. 15

11 ♥: La Hire This card often portrays a young lover. As it is a “one-eyed” card, he is hiding something. 11 ♠: Pampero This Jack makes a loyal ally or formidable adversary. Unlike his one-sided brother in Hearts, La Hire, who hides his other side, Pampero seems to be simply lacking any great dimension. 12 : Livia Though richly adorned by the wealth acquired from her high position, not all of this lady’s values lie with her possessions. 12 ♣: Leah Because Leah’s domain is in a black suit, her powers are symbolic of night energy. Leah rules the dreaming, mystery, and knowledge of the unconscious mind. 12 ♥: Déja Déja possesses a softness that is her strength, a quiet knowing that dignifies her. This Queen’s closed eyes symbolize her attunement to the inner world. 16

12 ♠: Morgana Long abandoned by her nomadic King, Morgana has learned to stand alone. This Queen rules with the need to control. 13 : King Leo This card represents a mover and a shaker, who takes charge and changes things. Leo is also the big money card. 13 ♣: Sol The appearance of Sol indicates a well-read, educated, and intellectual type of person. 13 ♥: Nichomiah King of merriment and sentimentality, Nichomiah rules his kingdom of Hearts…or does he? As a male card within a suit that is receptive by nature, this King tends to appear weak, especially as a leader. 13 ♠: Mardoc As the last card within Spades, the suit of material form, Mardoc assumes the role of terminator, the conqueror without mercy or compassion. He exemplifies mastery over earthly affairs. 17

The Calendar and the 4 - Card Spread The 4-Card Spread is the basic layout and has two variations, the Present Spread and the Cat Spread. Both are ideal for answering a single question and give a quick, yet comprehensive reading. Your deck is already in calendar form. The layouts are designed to simply expose little slices of time contained within it. Each of the deck’s 52 cards naturally represent one week. In the 4-card spread, the top card of the deck corresponds to the present week and each card that follows is the passing of another seven days. The bottom card of the deck is 52 weeks from the present. The Present Spread When the question asked involves a concern immediately at hand or no more distant than one month from the date of the reading, the four cards for your layout come directly off the top of the deck. This is called the Present Spread.

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After preparing the cards with the shuffle, turn the present card (top card) over first and the following three cards consecutively, placing each directly below the card previously turned. Present card

2nd card from the top of the deck

3rd card from the top of the deck

4th card from the top of the deck

Taken together, these four cards provide a snapshot of the time at hand as well as the four weeks to come.

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The Cat Spread This spread gets its name from the age-old belief that cats are sensitive to subtle energies. Because black cats seem to appear from almost nowhere and cross our paths, they have been considered omens, with messages from worlds unseen. In the same way, this card spread singles out a significant moment in time. It reveals the cat’s crossing place in our own lives. After your deck has been prepared by shuffling, cut it once, forming two piles. Turn the card that is on top of the pile that was the bottom portion of the deck, the card that became exposed by the cut. This marks a spot within the 52-card calendar, the Cat’s crossing place. Now “mend” the deck by returning the two piles to their former positions. The deck should be in one pile, as it was before the cut, with one card turned somewhere within it. Next, count four cards off the top and lay them face down in a stack. Repeat this, laying each new set of four down separately as you move across the table from right to left (see figure on page 21.) When you reach the turned card, stop. 20

Because this is a 4-card spread, continue by turning over the three cards directly following the Cat card to complete your four-card column (see the previous section, The Present Spread). The remaining cards are simply set aside. Leftover card Cat Card 3rd pile 2nd pile of 4 cards of 4 cards

1st four cards off top of deck

By arranging the cards in this way, you have actually formed a simple calendar leading up to the specified time. Since each card is a week, four cards make four weeks, or approximately 21

one month. Each card left over between your last pile of four and the Cat card adds one more week. In the example pictured above, thirteen weeks from the date of the reading (or approximately three months) is auspicious for the question asked. The Significance of Card Positions The meanings given to each of the card positions within the 4-Card Spread are directly related to the meanings of the four card suits. Accordingly, as you develop your understanding of this layout, you will also develop a more intimate understanding of the suits themselves and the ways in which they interact with one another. When looking at a 4-Card Spread, imagine you are looking at a person standing—a little person made out of cards. This gives you a working model of the person you are reading, allowing you to see which energies are operating at which level. It is a picture of the person in time, the time specified by the cut of the cards. The following provides an outline for interpreting each of the positions. 22



FIRE: The Head

♣

AIR: The Throat

♥

WATER: The Torso

♠

EARTH: The Feet

Identifying relevant positions in relation to the question asked is key to using this layout. Before cards are even turned, you should have in your mind which card position relates to the question. Once the cards are laid out focus on the card in this placed position. Think of your questions in terms of four categories as they correspond to the card suits.

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 The Head Position This card tends to dominate the general character of the reading. It indicates the consciousness or identity of the situation.

♣

The THROAT Position The card in this position relates directly to ideas and communications of all sorts.

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♥

The TORSO Position Cards located in this position are crucial in questions related to love, reproduction, and emotions in general.

The Foot Position Look to this position for insight into issues concerning possessions, home, career, and daily routines.

♠

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To realize the full power and potential of the playing cards, also read the companion book The Playing Card Oracles, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. Through delightful poetry and prose, illustration and essay, Ana Cortez, reintroduces the world to the extraordinary divinatory powers of ordinary playing cards and other fascinating secrets encoded centuries ago into the playing card deck. The 257-page source book, with beautiful illustrations by C.J. Freeman, presents both the history and methodology of card reading for spiritual guidance and self-knowledge. In addition to the detailed descriptions for each of the 52 cards, Cortez offers further examples of card layouts and reading techniques for interpreting them. She shares her compelling insights on the numerological and astrological symbolism of the cards and includes a timeline of the history of using playing cards for divination.

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By their numbers, suits, and pictures, The cards communicate And begin to tell their story Each time we shuffle fate. — CJF

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Published by:

U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC. 179 Ludlow Street Stamford, CT 06902 USA 203-353-8400 • Order Desk 800-544-2637 FAX 203-353-8431 www.usgamesinc.com